The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which superseded the Indian Penal Code of the British era, imposes fines of up to Rs 7 lakh or ten years in prison on drivers who cause a major traffic accident through careless driving and then escape without reporting the incident to the police or any other government official.
The demonstrators asked that the “harsh” legislation be re-examined or removed by the Union government. Following the government’s pledge to address their concerns, the strike was called off. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ annual report, 18% of road mishap deaths in India in 2022 were caused by hit-and-run incidents.
Source: Business Standard
In 2022, there were 30,486 fatalities from these accidents, up from 25,938 in 2021. throughout this time, there were 67,387 hit-and-run accidents as opposed to 57,415 throughout this timeframe. The Supreme Court supported increased payouts for hit-and-run fatalities in October of last year, noting that the State was mostly to fault for its inability to identify the offending vehicle.
Source: The Economic Times
By discouraging drivers, the new regulation aims to lower the number of these accidents and the resulting deaths. But in addition to the regulation, there should be a national training and awareness campaign that emphasises lane discipline and following traffic laws. For drivers of trucks and other big vehicles who spend a lot of time on the highway, this is especially crucial. Large trucks are frequently seen in the lanes intended for swift travel.
“Lane driving is sane driving” needs to become the standard for all drivers, not just a catchphrase. Rather than caving in to the pressure of carriers and truck drivers, the government ought to promote road discipline year-round through a persistent campaign.
What do you think about this? Comment below.
